Downy Woddpecker on ?

[Jim Fenton]

I don't exactly know what the plant is...locally, we call them lambs ears, but I suppose I'll have to look it up and get the proper ID one of these days.

Anyway...we had just had a thunderstorm this past Sunday and the bird was a bit damp. The flower spike the bird was feeding on was underneath a tree so it was dry. I sat for about a half hour watching as the bird fed on the opposite side of the stalk...finally, it moved around to a side where I was able to capture an image.

Nikon D300, 500 AFSVR, TC14EII, ISO 800, 1/320, f 6.3, CW metering, -.7 EV compensation, NearuniWB preset.

[Grace Scalzo]

Jim, This is such a pleasing image with the perch, the background, and the bird all so complimentary in color. THere's a vignetting effect around the top...did you do that in PS or was it natural? It's really nice.

[Jim Fenton]

If there's some nifty vingnetting effect I don't see it on my monitor and I can't take credit for it....the background is what it is...namely maples and pines through the haze and humidity of the post thunderstorm air about 1/8 of a mile away across the pond :)

[Mike Lentz]

Hi Jim, thats a Mullein flower. I like the image, would consider cropping some off of the backside (right)

[Ramon M. Casares]

Agree with Mike's commet, besides that I think this one nice shot! Light, BG and color looks very good! Congrats!

[Fabs Forns]

Very neat image, greaet colors and mood. Another vote fro cropping off the right.

[John Chardine]

Yep, looks like Common Mullein (Verbascum thapsus)- a great plant that sometimes grows to monster proportions.

Beautiful image. Great colour, BG, sharpness. Agree with the crop suggestions.

[Jim Fenton]

Great top have the plant ID (I knew someone would probably know) and I'll heed the advice on the crop as well.

Thanks!

[Stephen Stephen]

Nice image Jim. The colour contrast is nice with this woodpecker which one normally finds on a grey or brown tree trunk.

[Arthur Morris]

Very, very sweet and sharp. Like the rest of the gang, love the soft light and the color of the BKGR. Does the eye look a bit funky to anyone else but me?

ps: Why -.7 in the soft light???

[Jared Gricoskie]

Nice shot.

On a behaviorial viewpoint Downy's seem to love Mullein all time of the year. Even though many consider them a weed, they do attract the birds and usually allow for some great backgrounds.

[Jim Fenton]

If it looks funky, then the bird had a naturally funky eye :)

I did a very minor contrast sharpen on it and that twas it.

As far as the -.7 ..it was a MISTAKE. It was actually +.7

[Arthur Morris]

But you did use flash. And flash + digital = funky eye... Lots of ways to make it look more natural if you are open to that...

[Jim Fenton]

I didn't even have it mounted.

Please note that the EV compensation was listed incorrectly as I had a 51 year old senior moment. It was actually Plus .7 and not MINUS .7.

This opened up the bird but just cooked the yellows a tad and I had to bring them back down in post.

[Arthur Morris]

Ooops. My error. Yes, +.7 makes much more sense in that soft light... At least one person was paying attention, and a Canon user at that... :)

[Glenda Simmons]

I don't think I have ever seen a Downy on a colorful perch. Very nice image.